Re: Weekend Story

["Kirsten Price" <kprice@forums.law.Arizona.EDU>]

Wow!
I have not run this particular trail, but do run trails in Sabino Canyon and
have been thinking about doing some other trails in the vicinity.  Hmm....
maybe time to think about at least a partner (one slower than I am <G>).
This may also be the same cougar my friend has run into (she lives in Oro
Valley).

Kirsten

Kirsten Price
James E. Rogers College of Law
Director - GPSC Showcase 2000
Director - GPSC Graduate Orientation 2000
University of Arizona
Tucson, AZ
splash@dakotacom.net

Sent: Monday, April 24, 2000 2:30 PM
Subject: RC: Weekend Story


> (I was so excited about my encounter I forgot to proof and spell check
> before sending. Duh!)
>
>
> Do I have a story for you!
>
> Well my horses are in good shape, we did a 50 last week.  This weekend was
> their time to rest and relax.  I decided it was time for me to do one of
my
> long runs and start getting myself in shape for Tevis.  I planned to run
> from home (2,500 ft) to the Mt. Lemmon Ski Valley (9,500 ft).  I asked my
> wife to pick me up at the top at 10:00 a.m. Saturday morning.  I wanted to
> get done early so we could fit in some other activities during the
> afternoon.
>
> I pushed off from home about 5:00 a.m. and started the long accent.  This
> training run/ride is a doozy.  It climbs from 2,500 ft. to 6,000 ft. then
> goes back to 2,500 ft. before climbing back to 9,500 ft.  The trail has
> 10,500 ft. of gain in 16 miles, Tevis has about the same gain over 100
> miles.  We have a wonderful training area but that's another story.
>
> About 30 minutes after pushing off I was rounding a long right hand turn
in
> the trail when I caught something out of the corner of my eye two feet off
> the trail to my right.  In one motion I chucked my hat at the object and
> jumped back.  I found myself face to face with a large mountain lion.  It
> was lying on its stomach ready to pounce, ever muscle in its body was
> twitching as it slinked toward me.  Our eyes were locked three feet apart.
> I yelled at the cat as if I was scolding a bad dog "GET OUT OF HERE".  The
> cat penned his ears to his head like a horse that's getting ready to kick
or
> bit.  The black tuft at the end his tail was swaying side to side.  As I
> would inch back the cat would slide forward.
>
> I started to slowly take off my camel back to use as a weapon if needed.
I
> got it off without the cat making any movement and slowing held it in
front
> of me to shield the coming collusion.  The cat came to his feet and walked
> to my right, I turned with him to maintain eye contact.  He went to the
> other side of the trail and crouched near a bush.
>
> My body eased and I began to look at the cat in amazement.  The front
limbs
> were strong and powerful.  The body was long, and lean but muscled.  The
> detail in the face was incredible, a combination of tans, grays and shades
> of black.  His nose kept sniffing for my scent.  The picture that will
> remain with me for my lifetime will be the tail.  As I watched the cat
face
> to face, the last four inches of the very long tail slowing swayed from
side
> to side.  The black tuft on the end kept attracting my attention.  It was
> amazing.
>
> Well after a minute of watching the cat and memorizing all his features, I
> decide not to push my luck and get going.
>
> I slowly turned to get my hat.  To my amazement the cat rushed toward me
> from the bushes and I quickly turned back to face him.  I now knew this
> wasn't an encounter to make me feel good; this guy was stalking me and was
> still carrying out the kill.  I decided I better get aggressive and change
> his mind.  I started to yell again.  The yelling just made him angry as he
> pinned he black and tan ears to his head.  I crouched slowly and picked up
> two fist size rocks.  The cat retreated back to his bush after I threw the
> rocks.
>
> As I slowly eased down the trail backward the cat slinked through the
bashes
> at the same pace.  I moved, he moved.  It was incredible.
>
> I picked up two more large rocks.  In one quick motion, I threw the rocks,
> yelled, waved my arms and ran toward the cat.  He turned and slipped
through
> the brush 20-30 feet.  I quickly retreated and decided to put some
distance
> between us.
>
> On my way to the top I had four hours to think about the experience.  It
was
> truly the most awesome thing that has ever happened to me.  I honestly
> believe that if I would of taken one more step before catching him out of
> the corner of my eye, I would be dead or badly hurt.  I don't know if I
did
> the correct thing with eye contact and facing him but it did make him
think
> about attacking.
>
> The truly scary issue is that I run this same trail 4 days a week early in
> the a.m. before light.  It's probably not the first time he's watched me.
>
> I've run and ridden this same trail over 100 times.  The thought of
running
> into the cat on horseback does not scare me.  Running the trail again
> Tuesday a.m. has me a little nervous.
>
> The whole experience lasted about 5 minutes.  I could fill a short story
> with the details
>
> garrett
>
>
>
>
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